To discuss means to talk about something in detail with other people, examining ideas, arguments, or evidence in order to reach a conclusion or a mutual understanding. It can also mean to examine a topic by argument in writing.
What Does Discuss Mean?
The verb discuss comes from the Latin discutere, meaning "to dash to pieces" or "to shake apart", from dis- (apart) and quatere (to shake). By the 15th century it had evolved through Old French into Middle English with the sense of examining a question thoroughly. The underlying idea is that of breaking a subject apart in order to look at each piece carefully.
In medieval Latin, discutere was used in legal contexts to mean "to investigate" or "to examine a case" — a sense that survives in the modern meaning of analysing evidence or arguments rather than simply chatting. By the 16th century, English writers used discuss to mean both formal written analysis and spoken deliberation.
Today discuss is a core academic and professional verb. It appears constantly in essay questions ("Discuss the causes of…"), meeting agendas ("We will discuss the budget"), and academic papers ("Section 4 discusses the implications"). Mastering its correct use — especially avoiding the very common error "discuss about" — will significantly improve the quality of your written and spoken English.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| We will discuss the findings at the next meeting. | A2 — basic transitive use; direct object follows immediately |
| The teacher asked the class to discuss the story in small groups. | B1 — discuss + infinitive complement; classroom instruction |
| The report discusses several possible solutions to the housing shortage. | B1 — third person singular; written / academic register |
| Both parties have been discussing the terms of the agreement for several weeks. | B2 — present perfect continuous; formal / professional context |
| The paper critically discusses the extent to which globalisation has undermined national sovereignty. | C1 — adverb modifier; academic analytical writing; complex noun phrase as object |
Common Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| discuss a topic | We discussed a range of topics at the seminar. |
| discuss the matter | I'd like to discuss the matter further after the presentation. |
| discuss an issue | The committee met to discuss the issue of funding. |
| discuss the findings | Section 3 discusses the findings of the survey. |
| discuss options | Let's sit down and discuss our options before deciding. |
| discuss plans | Management will discuss plans for the merger next week. |
| discuss concerns | Parents are encouraged to discuss any concerns with the class teacher. |
| discuss the implications | The final chapter discusses the implications of the research. |
| briefly / fully discuss | The report briefly discusses potential risks but does not analyse them in depth. |
| discuss at length | The two sides discussed the proposal at length before reaching a compromise. |
Usage Notes
- Discuss is transitive. It must be followed directly by an object: discuss the problem, not discuss about the problem. This is the single most common ESL error with this verb.
- Formal register. Discuss is more formal than talk about. In academic essays, reports, and professional correspondence, prefer discuss; in casual conversation, talk about sounds more natural.
- Adverb modifiers. Discuss combines well with adverbs: discuss briefly, discuss fully, discuss critically, discuss at length. Using these in academic writing shows a higher level of precision.
- Passive voice. The passive form be discussed is very common in formal writing: The results are discussed in the following section. This shifts focus to the topic rather than the writer.
- Noun form. The related noun is discussion. Common phrases: under discussion, open for discussion, in discussion with, lead a discussion.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
Let's discuss about the new policy tomorrow.
Let's discuss the new policy tomorrow. (discuss is transitive — no "about" needed)
We discussed of several options during the meeting.
We discussed several options during the meeting. (no preposition between discuss and its object)
She discussed me her concerns.
She discussed her concerns with me. (discuss does not take an indirect object — use "with" instead)